While it’s true that Jordan Chow loves dumplings, her first dumpling-shaped pottery piece came about entirely by accident.
“I had a pot fall off of the wheel, and it dimpled one side,” says Chow. “I was like, ‘I don’t really want to throw this away. How can I make this cute?’”
By adding a few more dimples and an adorable face, Chow turned the toppled pot into her first dumpling-shaped ceramic. Soon, she had a collection of mugs, teacups, condiment jars and more. After a TikTok video of her pottery went viral, Chow set up an online storefront for Bao Bao Pottery, and in 2024, she was earning enough money through her pottery work to quit her web design job.
Now, Chow has launched Bao Bao Studio, a cozy pottery studio in Montgomery with colourful shapes and cat portraits on the walls. She brought on friends and fellow ceramicists Chris Lineker of Drip Pottery and Madde Sullivan of Sullivan Ceramics to join the team, and all of them sell their pottery at the studio now.
The three ceramicists teach beginner-friendly workshops where guests can learn to make things like handbuilt mugs, berry bowls or a matcha bowl and whisk set. In the future, Chow hopes to teach wheel throwing workshops as well.
Since Bao Bao Studio’s packed opening day, workshops have started selling out, and Chow says many people appreciate having a pottery studio nearby.
“The general reception has been that we kind of need more artistic and ceramic spaces in this quadrant of the city,” says Chow. “The community has been really great at being behind me in the project.”
4620 Bowness Rd. N.W., 403-467-0329, baobaostudio.ca